# NTSB DEN83FA072: Piper PA-28-181, N8406F, Evanston, WY, March 6, 1983

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: March 5, 1983, 19:16 local (Mar 6, 1983, 02:16 UTC)
- Place: Evanston, WY
- Coordinates: 41.250198, -110.95906 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.2502&lon=-110.9591&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 15975
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN83FA072
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/15975/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN83FA072

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal
  - planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - light condition - dark night (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - snow (contributing factor)
  - flight into known adverse weather - continued, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- In flight collision with object, cruise
  - object - wire,transmission (contributing factor)
  - proper altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, maneuvering
  - maneuver - performed, pilot in command
  - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly (contributing factor)
  - clearance - misjudged, pilot in command (cause)
  - terrain condition - rising (contributing factor)

## Analysis

WHEN EN ROUTE, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES WHERE THEY CROSSED OVER A HIGHWAY ABOUT 39 FT AGL. TWO WITNESSES NEAR THIS LOCATION REPORTED THAT THE ACFT WAS FLYING LOW & WAS FOLLOWING THE HIGHWAY ON A WESTERLY HEADING WHEN THE ACFT STRUCK THE WIRES. THE WIRE STRIKE OCCURRED AS THE ACFT WAS STARTING TO CROSS A VALLEY ABOUT 8 MI WIDE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CRASHED INTO RISING TERRAIN ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE VALLEY. WITNESSES IN CARS NEAR THAT AREA STATED THAT THE ACFT WAS FLYING LOW OVER THE HIGHWAY & WAS ZIG-ZAGGING BACK & FORTH. JUST PRIOR TO CRASHING, THEY SAW THE ACFT GO INTO A STEEP BANK, THEN IT DISAPPEARED FROM THEIR VIEW AS IT WENT BEHIND A HILL. AN EXAM OF THE CRASH SITE REVEALED THAT THE ACFT WAS IN NEAR LEVEL FLT WHEN IT HIT TREES ON THE SIDE OF A HILL, THEN IT CRASHED INTO A 9 DEG RISING SLOPE. THE PLT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED & COULD NOT RECALL THE FLT OR THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON A DARK NIGHT WITH LOW CEILINGS & WITH LIGHT SNOW FALLING.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N8406F](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8406F-1991-04-01), registration cancelled 1991-04-01, S/N 288190267 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-181
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (registry code 7102807) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 28-8190267
- Airframe hours: 1011
- Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Ricky C. Barfuss
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: 100 hour, March 2, 1983, 112 hours before
- Departed: COD, CODY, WY
- Destination: OGD, OGDEN, UT

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 52; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; flight hours: 526 total, 200 in this make and model, 480 as pilot in command, 16 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 360° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 4,000 ft overcast
- Temperature: 37 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: EVW, 18 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19830305006339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19830305006339A), Mar 5, 1983: Piper PA28181, Evanston, WY, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Struck powerlines trees and rocks while following a highway over rising terrain at less than 50 feet altitude.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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